APC Plans State Congresses This Year – Odigie-Oyegun
BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has said that the Party would hold its state congresses this year.
Odigie-Oyegun, who announced this when he received in audience, an APC delegation from Niger State led by State Party Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Jibril Adamu and Chairman of Suleja Local Government Council, Hon Abdullahi Shuaibu Maje, said the APC national leadership is only awaiting the National Organising Secretary to conclude the planning and programme for the congresses which would be over in two or three months.
He also said that despite several challenges inherited by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the government has continued to implement the Change Agenda to restore the country on the path of growth and development.
He said the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has worked assiduously to ensure the unity of the APC that was created out of other progressive-minded parties during the 2013 merger.
He also said the National Working Committee (NWC) has tried to the best of its ability to do the difficult process of welding together the Party that was created out of three, four other Parties, adding however that it has not been easy but it has been a significant success.
According to him; “It is a very difficult task that we have all thrust on the President. We had to deal with a predecessor regime whose hallmark was corruption. A regime that had lost all vision; that had lost all interest in developing our nation given the kind of resources that were available. A regime that instead of developing, wasted our national resources such that as at the time we were taking over, there really was nothing.
“The economy had already collapsed. Salaries were not being paid. Public infrastructure had collapsed. Price of oil had also collapsed. So, the President had a very difficult situation to handle. It is not surprising then the kind of pain that a lot of our brothers and sisters are going through today. One will depend on people like you to help us pass the message to our people that this is just a passing phase, this is an evil that was created by predecessor regimes.
“The President and his team are working flat out to make sure that our economy is diversified and our nation no longer depends on oil only. I pray that God restore the President to complete health so that he can continue the mission.
“There is no magic to it. It is taking time, but this country will never go back to the bad old days where all we did was divide the money from oil. Today, I am very proud of the accomplishment of states like Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara and the rest of them in agriculture. Today, Nigerian rice is becoming what we all eat. Tomorrow by God’s grace, we will be able to export Nigerian rice to the rest of Africa and far beyond.”
Earlier, the Chairman of Suleja Local Government Council, Hon Abdullahi Shuaibu Maje, who spoke on behalf of the delegation, said the people of Niger State and indeed Suleja Community have stood firm, have faith and voted for the APC at all levels since 2015.